Clock



March 7, 1939. J. J. PARIS El AL CLOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 9, 1956 EEEEIEIEIEIEIE! EIEIEIIZJEIEIEIEE! EEEEIEEIEIIEEI EZIEEEIEIZIIEEI! EEEIEIEIIEEIEE EIEJEIEEDEEIEIE 7 JJPa'r'i/s (LI Par flcZParis INVENTOR5 ATTORNEY March 7, 1939. J. J. PARIS ET AL CLOCK Filed Nov. 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS J :7: Paris 4,1 Parps flrfParz/s 57 may; arm/v mfr.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOCK James J. Paris, George J. Paris, and Andrew J. Paris, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,994 1 Claim. (01. 58-50) This invention relates to clocks and has for an object to provide a clock which will include, in addition to the usual vertical clock face, a horizontal clock face through which light rays will be reflected and projected by lenses in enlarged form on the ceiling so that the time may be ascertained easily at night by merely closing a switch on the clock cabinet.

A further object is to provide an alarm clock in which, simultaneously with the sounding of the alarm, the horizontal clock face will be illuminated and will be projected in enlarged form on the ceiling so that upon being awakened by the alarm the sleeper may ascertain the time Without changing his position.

A further object is to provide a clock of the above described type having ornamental windows which may be illuminated by electric lamps concealed in the clock cabinet to provide both a pleasing ornament and a night light when desired.

A further object is to provide a clock of this type which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an alarm clock constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the clock.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the clock.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail rear elevation of the clockwork mechanism showing the alarm setting dial and light switch for the ornament.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional View showing one of the illuminating lamps of the horizontal clock face and its electrical connections.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a ring shaped electric lamp which may be substituted for the conventional electric lamp that illuminates the hori zontal clock face.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits, lamps, and switches.

Figure 11 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of lens holder adapted to permit adjustment of the lenses relatively to each other.

Figure 12 is a detail view showing the bearings for certain of the shafts of the mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, l0 designates a cabinet having a removable rear wall I I in which a hinged door I2 is disposed to permit access to the alarm setting dial [3 of a conventional alarm clockwork mechanism M which is mounted in a suitable metallic frame l5 arranged on a false bottom l6 of the cabinet, as best shown in Figure 3.

The cabinet is provided with a stepped top H having rows of windows l8 which render an ornamental appearance to the cabinet and which also may be illuminated by four electric bulbs I!) to provide an attractive illuminated ornament and at the same time provide a night lamp as desired.

The bulbs l9 are located at the corners of a horizontal frame 20 which is supported upon uprights 2| mounted on the casing 22 of a reflector 23 and the reflector casing is secured to the top of the clockwork mechanism casing 15.

The frame 20 is provided with a glass clock dial 24 on which the hour designating numerals are reversed and progressively increase from one to twelve in a counter-clockwise direction as best shown in Figure 6. Thus when light is reflected through the horizontal clock dial 24, as will be presently explained, and through a pair of double convex lenses 25 supported in the top of the stepped ornament H, the reflected image on the ceiling of the room will be the image of a conventional clock face greatly enlarged.

The lenses are supported in a casing 26 having a flange 21 which is suitably secured to the top of the ornament. A glass pane 28 closes the top of the ornament and is provided with an opaque backing having a small center hole 28' through which the image of the horizontal dial 24 is pro- J'ected on the ceiling.

The horizontal clock dial 24 is illuminated by elongated lamp bulbs 29 supported by and extending longitudinally of the sides of a substantially rectangular frame 30 of insulating material disposed on the reflector casing 22 between the uprights 2|, as best shown in Figure 5. There are two spaced bus bars 3! and 32 extending around the inner periphery of the frame 30 as best shown in Figures 3, 5, and 8. One of the bus bars is'provided with integral sockets 33 to receive the screw contacts 34 of the bulbs 29. The other bus bar is provided with leaf spring terminals 35 which engage the center contacts 36 of the bulbs 29. Insulating washers 37 on the bus bar 32 prevents short circuiting of the bus bars by contact of the terminals 35 with the bus bar 32.

Referring again to the clockwork mechanism it will be seen by referring to Figure 1 that a conventional clock face 38 is associated with the clockwork mechanism so that the time may be ascertained in the usual manner. Synchronized with the clock hands 39 of the vertical dial a pair of clock hands 45 and M are moved upon the horizontal clock dial 24. The minute-hand 40 is mounted on a shaft 42 which is provided with a gear 43, best shown in Figure 4, that meshes with an idle pinion 44', on a stub shaft which carries a bevel pinion M which in turn meshes with a bevel pinion 45 on the conventional minute-hand shaft 45 of the clockwork mechanism. Thus the minute-hand of the horizontal dial turns as a unit with the minute-hand of the vertical dial on the front of the cabinet. A sleeve 4'! is mounted on the shaft 42 and carries the hour-hand 4| of the horizontal dial 24. The sleeve passes through openings in the dial 24 and reflector 23 and terminates above a plate 48 disposed below the top of the casing [5. A stub shaft d9 is journaled in the plate and is equipped with a small gear 50 which meshes with a large gear on the sleeve 41. A large gear 52 on the stub shaft meshes with a small gear 53 r on the shaft 42. These gears form step down ratio gearing of twelve to one so that the hourhand will be driven by the minute-hand shaft in timed relation with the conventional hourhand of the vertical clock face 38 which conventional hour-hand is driven from the conventional minute-hand shaft 46 by a similar step down twelve to one gear train designated in general by the numeral 54, as best shown in Figure 4.

The automatic switch for closing the circuit through the horizontal dial illuminating bulbs 29, when the alarm is sounded, is best shown in Figure 4. The leaf spring 55 which controls the clapper 55 of the bell 57, is freed in the usual manner when the arm 58 on the conventional minute-hand shaft 56 rides into the cam notch 59 in the hub of the alarm controlling gear 60, to permit the gear to slide outwardly on the shaft. The leaf spring 55 will follow the gear outwardly and make contact with a bus bar 6| to close the energizing circuit of the lamp bulbs 2% so that the horizontal clock dial 2 1 will be projected on to the ceiling simultaneously with the sounding of the alarm. As is usual the alarm will continue sounding through a predetermined time period and will then stop at which time the leaf spring 55 will be withdrawn from the bus bar 5!, by movement of the arm 58 out of the cam slot 59 and open the circuit to extinguish the horizontal dial illuminating bulbs.

For manually controlling the circuits of the dial projecting bulbs 25, from either side of the cabinet, switches 52 and 63, of any preferred type, are disposed on the sides of the cabinet and insulating blocks 6d and 55 are disposed on the sides of the metal clockwork casing H5. The current supply wires 66 and 6'5 enter the cabinet and the wire 55 is grounded to'the casing 15, as shown at 68, and this also grounds the clockwork mechanism. The other wire 61 is connected to a metallic conductor 69 which is supported upon an insulating post that rises from the bottom of the metallic casing. The bulbs 29, which illuminate the horizontal clock dial, are connected in parallel with circuit wires H and 12 which are connected to the metallic'conductor 59 and to a second metallic conductor 13 which is supported upon an insulating post it that' rises from the bottom of the casing 5. The metallic conductor 13 is formed integral with the beforementioned bus bar 6|. A circuit wire l5 connects one pole of the switch 63 with a metallic conductor 16 which is integral with the metallic conductor 13. The other pole of the switch 55 is grounded to the casing l5 by a wire 'i'l as shown at 18.

It may now be seen that when the switch 63 is closed a circuit may be traced through the wire 61, wire II, bulbs 29, wire 12, wire 15, switch 53 through the ground wire Tl, casing l5 and supply wire 65. The bulbs 29 may thus be energized at any time during the night to project the horizontal dial on the ceiling. The bulbs may also be energized by closing the switch 52 on the opposite side of the cabinet and for this purpose a wire 79 is connected to one pole of the switch and to a metallic conductor 89 that is integral with the metallic conductor 73, as shown in Figure 4. The other pole of the switch is connected to a wire 8! which is grounded to the casing as shown at 82. When the switch 62 is closed a circuit may be traced through the supply wire 61, wire 1!, bulbs 29, wire 12, wire 15, conductor 80, through the switch 62, ground wire 8! and wire 55, which is also grounded to the casing. Thus the switch 62 can also be used to energize the horizontal dial illuminating bulbs.

It will be observed that both the switches 52 and 53 are connected in parallel with the automatic switch comprising the parts 55 and BI of the alarm device so that each of these switches control the horizontal dial illuminating bulbs independently of the others.

When the alarm controlled switch is closed a circuit may be traced through the wire 61, wire H, bulbs 29, wire 12, bus bar 6!, leaf spring 55 which is grounded to the casing, to the supply wire 66 which is also grounded to the casing. When the alarm device is in neutral the circuit just traced is broken by separation of the leaf spring 55 from the bus bar 6|.

For controlling the ornamental illuminating bulbs IS a switch 83 is mounted on the back plate of the clockwork mechanism !4, as best shown in Figure 7. The bulbs [9 are connected in parallel to circuit wires 84 and 85 which are connected to the supply wires 66 and 51. is connected in series with the wire 85, as best shown diagrammatically in Figure 10 so that upon closing of the switch the bulbs 59 which illuminate the ornament may be energized and thus provide an attractive night lamp if desired.

In Figure 9 is shown a modified form of bulb for illuminating the horizontal dial 2 2. This modified form of bulb comprises a ring globe 86 in which a circular filament 81 is encased and conducted to the ordinary screw base 88 of the bulb. The ring globe is of sufficient diameter to lie underneath and coincide with the annular series of numerals on the horizontal clock dial.

A modified form of casing for supporting projecting lenses is shown in Figure ll. The lenses 89 and 95 are respectively secured in casings BI and 92 which are telescopically assembled. A

The switch. 83.

rack 93 on one of the casings slidably projects through a slot in the other casing, which other casing carries a pinion 94 which may be moved by a shaft 95 to advance the rack endwise and adjust the space between the lenses.

In operation, if the sleeper, when awakened by sounding of the alarm, wishes to shut oif the alarm he may push inward the conventional push plunger 96, see Figures 3 and 7, whichv stops the clapper from striking the bell. When the sleeper is awakened and does not wish the illuminated horizontal clock dial to be projected on the ceiling for a predetermined time as previously explained, he may turn the conventional alarm setting dial l3 about one-quarter of a turn and this will automatically open the contacts -6! and extinguish the illuminating lamps of the dial.

Since a description of the operation has been given as the description of the parts progressed it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

In a clock having a casing, clock mechanism in the casing having minute and hour hand arbors disposed on a horizontal axis, a dial supported horizontally above the clock mechanism in said casing and formed of transparent material, minute and hour hand arbors for the dial extending vertically in the casing and connected to said minute and hour hand arbors of the clock mechanism for movement in timed relation therewith, hour and minute hands carried by the vertically disposed arbors movable over the face of the dial, a lens supported in horizontal position on the top of said casing in axial alignment with said hour and minute hands, a lamp bulb disposed in said casing for illuminating the dial, and a reflector in rear of the bulb for projecting the image of the hands and dial through said lens upon a ceiling; time controlled mechanism for energizing the lamp bulb comprising an alarm controlling gear, a time responsive shaft connected to said clock mechanism upon which said gear is slidably mounted, a hub on said gear having a cam notch, a leaf spring engaging said hub tending constantly to force the gear longitudinally of said shaft, an arm on said shaft normally engaged on the surface of said hub and adapted to ride into said notch in the gear to permit the gear to slide longitudinally of the shaft under impulse of the spring, the free end of said spring being adapted to follow the gear, a metal stop against which said free end of the spring lodges when the spring has moved the gear on the shaft, said spring and said stop forming a circuit closer, a source of electricity, and circuit wires connecting said circuit closer to the lamp bulb.

JAMES J. PARIS.

GEORGE J. PARIS.

ANDREW J. PARIS. 

